O' Canada, We Stand on Guard for Thee
by anders9898
Summary: We follow a group of RCMP who are the first to emerge from their vault in post fallout Canada. Hundreds of miles from nowhere they must tackle a grueling trek to the nearest towns and outposts in search of survivors. Their mission is to provide assistance to the good Canadians who failed to make it to a vault, but might still have survived.
1. First day

They say we're Canada's finest, most of us proud members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Joining us were a few of the more important members of government. Our prime directive has been explained as Canada's need for some semblance of a functioning government, as well as protection for the survivors and leaders of what once was the greatest country on earth. Even if those damn yanks thought they'd annexed us. I wasn't surprised when the first glimpses of the world I left behind 20 years ago hadn't changed at all. I wasn't expecting a sudden shift in climate, the snow and ice, clear cut forests, and frozen mountains in the distance seemed unchanged. In our crippled state we simply didn't have the time or resources to prepare a shelter that could support all of us for more than 20 years. Most of the military was taken out in the skirmishes leading up to the nukes, save a few pockets in vaults spread across the country. The task then fell on our hands, although I'm not certain we can be the men we once were, without our mounts we are suffering in morale and ability.

Hundreds of miles from any real town the Canadian north was an obstacle in itself, regardless of the unknown factors created by the bombings. We aren't able to pick up any radio broadcasts or reach any stations on our hams. Not a good sign, but then again I wasn't exactly expecting much else.

I looked around at my fellow mounties and their faces all shared the same grim expression, something I'm not used to seeing on my men, a look of both despair and relief. I can't say I don't feel thrilled to get out of that vault, but the unknowns of this new world pulled at my darkest fears.

"Listen up mounties, I know our situation looks rough. We all know what's ahead of us, we've been briefed and re-breifed, a 100 mile hike through the worst Canada has to offer. I know we're all a little weary of what awaits us at our destination, but all we can do until then is hope for the best.

The men seemed to nod agreeingly but their faces betrayed their half hearted agreement. Some simply staring at the ground, others looking grimly off into the distance.

"Our country is depending on us, if there are any survivors we're their last hope. I know leaving your families behind was the hardest thing any of us have ever had to do, I'm confident they have found safety in the civ vaults and re-fit mineshafts. Even the smallest of the mines were supply dropped before the bombings."

The men seemed to brighten up, if only slightly.

"Let us move out then, our packs are loaded and sleds ready. We did our best to prepare for the journey but we must be prepared to deal with all manner of unexpected events. We don't know what has become of our path, or what to expect when we finally reach our rally point. Our first job will be to scout the various mines along the way for anyone that might be holed up inside. While these parts are scarcely populated the odd hunting cabin sprinkles the area, some may have found themselves seeking refuge in the deep woods, only to be forced to the more stable structure of the nearby mines."

The men appeared to have summoned a new sense of vigor as their duties were being realized again. Having purpose and a sense of duty has always been the driving force behind the actions and motivation of the mounties. With newfound pride the first steps of a long and tedious journey began.

It was hours before we reached our first checkpoint, darkness was creeping on us now, some of the men thought they could hear the distant howls of wolves but it could very well be their heads playing tricks on them. Being cooped up in that vault for so long can do things to a guys head.

The effects of the nukes were evident even in this isolated area. The trees seemed to be scorched and very little green was to be found anywhere. Even if the snow covered tundra and mostly clear cut forests were normally filled with little life, it seemed as if they were completely void of it now. Not a bird to be heard, or a insect to be seen. We had all been prepped with adequate rad-x and deployed various radiation prevention techniques. Our man in the lead rigorously swept the geiger meter back and forth making sure the area we walked wasn't so badly radiated that we'd have to find another rout. So far so good, only trace levels of radiation, but it was clear there had been nukes dropped within 50 miles of us, judging from the radiation levels and the occasional glimpse of char and ash where the snow was thin.

The checkpoint consisted of a supply cache that had been set up on the way to the vault. Some basic goods and first aid items we thought we might need, as well as a few redundant tools in case of breakage or loss. Among the tools were rifles, while most of us had our personal small arms these provided a means to hunt. Not that I expected to be doing much of that, if what we saw so far, or lack there of was any indicator.

After a hot meal around a fire and a few light hearted stories of radiated ghouls and mutated wolves were thought up by the few who grew in imagination at the pace their bottles grew empty. We set up our sleep stuffs for the night and made ourselves as comfortable as we could. I could tell some of the men were more than on edge. I think the idea of a land devoid of creatures has shaken a few. Being in these parts and not seeing so much as a rabbit for miles is not something anyone here is familiar with.

I laid my head on the sleeping roll and attempted to get some rest, it wasn't coming easily though. Thoughts raced through my mind of my family, my mens families, I could only hope for the best. The eerily silent night wasn't helping my state of mind, I could hear the mens irregular breathing, as if taken by nightmares. Lying for what seemed like hours awake and distressed I decided to stroll around the edges of camp, if for nothing more than clearing my thoughts. The first mine wasn't far from here, we'll arrive in a half day's walk. At that thought something caught my eye, something was sticking out of the snow. I reached down and shone my light at the object, a bone of some kind. Digging away the area with my hands I slowly revealed what lay below the surface. My heart skipped a beat, all I could do was stare, eyes wide and mouth agape. The charred remains of a man's skull staring back at me with its hollow sockets seeming to call my deepest fears into them. After regaining my composure I decided it best to cover it back over with snow. Telling the men would only serve to sap what little hope they may have had, and by the looks of things, they're going to need all the hope they can get.


	2. First night

The rhythmic beating of a hand drum pulled me into awareness. A brilliant white light filled my field of view making it difficult to make out anything but the faintest of colors. The sound quickly grew louder, as if it were moving toward me. Accenting the sound of the drum was a rhythmic falling of feet, dancing their way closer with the drum. Abruptly a figure emerged from the blinding glow a face alight with what seemed like the very essence of joy. Although his face was leathery and worn like an ancient saddle he bore the unmistakable look of a man who was radiating life. His long braided hair matching his dark gentle eyes. Light seemed to dance around him, shifting and whirling, reminiscent of the great aurora borealis.

His aurora pulsed with the rhythm of the steady beat he carried with ease. I tried to speak but my words were lost, as if carried away by a silent wind. My confusion slowly began its retreat, the dazzling light and hypnotic rhythm lead me to a tranquil bliss. Just as I had fully embraced this new found peace the mans once gentle look gave way to absolute horror. Words seemed pointless, a terror such as his knows no comfort. The look of a man who sees death on the horizon, knowing not just himself, but all who he loves are doomed to a horrible end. The light that once danced with such grace exploded in a burst of luminescence that sent a shock wave of panic through me. I seemed to shake violently, as if someone were rattling me awake. At this the source of my violent tremors was revealed. One of my corporals knelt over me shaking me by the shoulders.

"Sergeant, wake up. Wake up man, you're waking the whole camp."

His look of concern apparent.

"You've been screaming like a madman, I've been trying to bring you about for ten minutes, how much did you have to drink?"

Gathering my composure I felt a wave of relief flow over me. Yet I was still quite rattled. The look of horror on the drummers face still haunted me, I stumbled over my words, as if the wind from the dream never left.

"Uh... I... Uh... Well... Just a nightmare man, I used to have these all the time, happens when I've had one too many, heh." I lied, I hadn't drunk at all.

"Alright sarge, whatever you say. But you shoulda warned us, we thought you were gettin' mauled or somethin'. Few of us grabbed our guns even."

I let out a chuckle and patted the corporal on the shoulder sending him back to his tent. I could hear him whisper some reassuring words to what must have been half a dozen men outside my tent, judging by their retreating footsteps.

Still quite rattled I knew sleep was out of the question, I sat and pondered the bizarre event. I rarely remembered my dreams, let alone lived them with such clarity.

Just the rads, I thought. That low level radiation probably just messing with my head. Despite my attempt to explain the phenomena away my rattled mind reeled with the reality of things, the spirit of these desolate wastes consumed me.


End file.
